WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: The Buffalo Building and Construction Trades Council and its Member Unions are publicly thanking the Pegula Family, Governor Kathy Hochul and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz for choosing to build the Buffalo Bills’ new $2-plus billion in Orchard Park under a Project Labor Agreement (PLA) through the placement of a prominent billboard located on Route 33 near the entrance to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport.  (WNYLaborToday.com Billboard Photo/Stadium Construction Photo Courtesy of the Buffalo Bills’ Facebook Page)

(BUFFALO, NEW YORK) – In a very public way of saying Thank You, the Buffalo Building and Construction Trades Council has taken out billboard space on Route 33 - near the Buffalo/Niagara International Airport, to recognize the Pegula Family, Governor Kathy Hochul and Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz’s decision to build the Buffalo Bills’ new $2 billion-plus stadium in Orchard Park under a Project Labor Agreement (PLA).

The 1.35 million-square-foot, multi-use, 60,000-seat stadium will be partially covered and is being constructed across the street from the National Football League (NFL) Team’s Highmark Stadium, which eventually be demolished after the new stadium officially opens in time for the 2026 NFL Season. 

Erie County Officials have projected 10,000 construction jobs to be created over the life of the stadium project.

Building Trades President Paul Brown said during a January (2024) news conference announcing the stadium project: “The stadium is a ‘big win’ for the region ‘and especially for the hard-working Men and Women of the Buffalo Building Trades Council, who are honored to be part of the team making this exciting project a reality.’  Our Union Families ‘will proudly tell their children and grandchildren that their skilled labor not only helped build a state-of-the-art stadium, but also helped build a stronger economy for the region.’”

This week, Brown told WNYLaborToday.com the latest figures he’s been given show 998 Trades Members currently working at the Stadium, which, he adds, “amount to around one-million-man hours” spent on the project - so far.

“This has been a ‘great project’ for our Members to work on ‘because there’s so much cooperation on the jobsite,’” Brown said.  “It is a ‘super-safe’ job and ‘everything is really going well.’  I am ‘super-proud’ (of the Trades and their Members who are working on the stadium project) ‘and I am not surprised that everything is working out like this.’  ‘I have confidence in every Member Trade that they will do anything to get the right done right.’”

Brown, meanwhile, said the Trades wanted to thank the Bills’ Owners - Terry and Kim Pegula, Governor Hochul and County Executive Poloncarz in a high-profile way, so procuring a prominent and well-seen billboard just before the entrance to the Buffalo/Niagara International Airport was viewed as a good way to accomplish their goal.

“(The Trades) had talked about doing something.  With the Pegulas and everyone else going out to the airport, ‘we thought they would eventually see it.’  ‘The feedback I’m getting is that it looks great,’” Brown told WNYLaborToday.com.

The new Bills’ stadium marks one of the largest economic development projects in Western New York history with an estimated annual economic impact of $385 million and the creation of those 10,000 Union construction jobs, in accordance with a PLA agreed to by the Trades Council.

A total of $850 million of the stadium’s cost comes from the State of New York ($600 million) and Erie County ($250 million).  The Pegulas are assuming $1.25 billion in construction costs, plus another $144 million as part of a community benefits package to be spread out over a 30-year lease, as well as hundreds of millions of dollars in cost overruns.

The Buffalo and Niagara County Trades Council consists of: Boilermakers Local 7; Bricklayers Local 3; Carpenters Local 276; Cement Masons Local 111; Electricians Local 41 and Local 237; Elevator Constructors Local 14; Heat & Frost Insulators Local 4; Ironworkers Local 6 and Local 9; Laborers Local 210 and Local 91; Millwrights Local 1163; Operating Engineers Local 17; Painters District Council 4; Plasterers Local 9; U.A. Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 22; Roofers Local 74; Sheet Metal Workers Local 71; U.A. Road Sprinklerfitters Local 669; and Teamsters Local 449.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, a cost-saving PLA consists of Collective Bargaining Agreements negotiated between one or more Construction Unions and one or more construction employers (contractors/project owners) that establish the terms and conditions of employment for a specific construction project.

Essential elements of PLAs include: Provisions that bind all contractors and subcontractors to the agreement; No-Strike, no-lockout clauses; and grievance/arbitration procedures.

Usually, PLAs also specify the wages and fringe benefits for all Workers on a project and generally require contractors to hire Workers for the project through a Union Hiring Hall that is responsible for supplying skilled labor.

PLAs also include clauses that outline goals for hiring local community members on projects, incorporate equity plans, detail strategic recruitment policies for Workers from underserved communities and require participation of small businesses.

In addition, PLAs organize complex construction projects and ensure their efficient and timely completion.  

PLAs also help to maintain and grow a diverse and skilled workforce - and ensure all referred Workers are qualified and have graduated from Registered Apprenticeship Programs that are certified by the Department of Labor.

WNYLaborToday.com spoke with several representatives of Building Trades Unions this week to get their take on their billboard Thank You:

Sheet Metal Workers Local 71 Business Manager Tim Benes: “It ‘was a way for us to thank them’ for the PLA.  ‘It was just a different way of publicly doing that.’  We have about (60) of our Members out there working on the stadium project and we’ll have about (a total of 150) having worked on the stadium when the dust settles.  ‘I and our Members are absolutely proud to be working out on that jobsite and the feedback we are getting from them is very positive - they are having fun’ (working on the new stadium).”

Bricklayers Local 3 Vice President Frank Pietrowski: “I ‘think it was a good gesture on our part because we appreciate what they’ve done.’  ‘I’m hoping a lot of good comes out of all of this.’  The support we got from the Governor, Poloncarz and the Pegulas ‘made (the PLA) happen’ and (the Trades) ‘appreciate it because this project is a showcase’ (for the quality work the Trades and their Members do).  I think the billboard ‘was a classy way of saying thanks.’  Right now, we have about (55) of our Members out there and at the end, about (130) will have worked there on brick, tile and precast.  Our Members ‘seem very happy working out there - so far, so good - and the Bills are treating them very well.’”

Operating Engineers Local 17 Business Manager Bill Fekete: “‘Everything has been positive’ - and I also give the Project Manager, Turner Construction, ‘credit for what they are doing.’  ‘We are absolutely happy with the project because it gives us three to five years of work, which is good when it comes to planning Apprenticeship recruitment.’  And speaking of that, ‘this project has given our Apprentices a number of great opportunities.’  We have six Crane Oilers out there ‘who are getting the chance to get in crane seats, getting experience on a jobsite that we can’t provide at our training facility.’”

Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 22 Business Manager Richard Evans: “I have (90) of our Members working out there right now and anticipate as many as (150-plus) will work on the stadium over the course of time.  I think the billboard thank you ‘was a great idea and shows our appreciation.’  ‘This is a project of a lifetime and to be part of it is amazing.’  ‘Our Members are showing up because they feel they are a part of it all - and the Bills have been great.’  The Pegulas have stepped up and offered them tours of Highmark Stadium and the (players’) locker-room.  And I know (Bills) Coach (Sean) McDermott has bought lunch for the Workers.  ‘They’ve made our Members feel part of the whole team, which makes me feel great.’  ‘We’re just so proud to be part of such a monumental job and knowing our footprint is in it too.’”

For More On The Stadium Project, Go To: Governor Hochul, Buffalo Bills and Erie County Announce New Buffalo Bills Football Stadium Project Hits Major Milestone with Start of Structural Steel Construction | Governor Kathy Hochul

Stadium Construction Photos Courtesy Of The Facebook Pages Of The Buffalo Bills & Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz.